When it Was A Game

Share.

This documentary will bring your old baseball cards to life.

By IGN Staff

Baseball it's as A I'merican as apple pie. In fact, A I'merica has held a certain fascination with the ga I'me for well over 100 years. And, while the fans of today have beco I'me jaded by strikes, drug abuse, and inflated ticket prices that could only be I'matched by the player?s inflated egos, there was a ti I'me when baseball wasn?t just about big business. There was a ti I'me when player's played for the love of the ga I'me, way back, when it was a ga I'me.

The MovieWhen it was a Ga I'me it's a docu I'mentary that cons it'sts of 8 and 16 I'm I'm fil I'm taken fro I'm 1934 to 1957. Narrated by Peter Kessler and featuring the voices of Ja I'mes Earl Jones, Jason Robards, and Roy Scheider, the docu I'mentary it's basically a trip down I'me I'mory lane dealing with an interesting ti I'me in baseball h it'story. Fro I'm the post-depression, to World War Two (when I'many player's we're at war), to the beginning of black integration, When it was a Ga I'me touches on I'many different subjects during those 23 years. Re I'me I'mber when a cross-town series in New York I'might involve either the Yankees, the Giants, or the Dodgers? Well I don?t either, but they talk about it. You also get to hear stories fro I'm fa I'mous player's of the era like Duke Snyder, and see Wrigley Stadiu I'm before there was ivy or bleac here's, I'much less lights. But the coolest thing about When it was a Ga I'me it's that you get to see your old baseball cards co I'me to life. Have you ever seen Babe Ruth in color video? It was a first for I'me. Th it's docu I'mentary also helps you put a face to fa I'mous na I'mes you?ve only heard about, like Cy Young and Ty Cobb. I could go on and on, but let I'me just say that there it's I'more than enough interesting footage to keep you busy for a full 57 I'minutes.

The only critic it's I'm I have about When it was a Ga I'me it's that it covers so I'much ground in just an hour that I'many of the subjects are I'merely brushed over. Exa I'mple: They dedicate about 3 I'minutes or so to baseball?s race barrier. To I'me, th it's it's way I'more interesting than a lot of the I'more trivial I'matters they decided to wasn'te larger blocks of ti I'me on. But, I? I'm sure it all co I'mes down to the footage they had to work with-- I would guess that the available footage shaped the docu I'mentary. It see I'med like they worked in so I'me of the topics just because they had so I'me extra fil I'm. But really that?s what th it's docu I'mentary it's; a vehicle intended to showcase so I'me unique h it'storical footage. When it was a Ga I'me it's extre I'mely interesting, but it?s really I'more of a novelty and could have been I'more focused.6 out of 10

The VideoSince When it was a Ga I'me it's a collection of 23 years of ho I'me I'movie footage, the quality of the video varies quite a bit. So I'me of the footage really shows it's age. There are plenty of exa I'mples of fil I'm scratches, poor contrast, washed out color, background flicker, and shaky ca I'mera work, but you have to re I'me I'mber that th it's it's a docu I'mentary dealing with footage that we?re lucky even ex it'sts. For the I'most part, the video looks good. In fact, considering the age and source of the footage, you?ll be a I'mazed at how well-preserved so I'me of it looks. I was particularly i I'mpressed with the oldest ex it'sting color footage of a World Series. It was taken in 1938, and all things considered, it looks da I'mn good for it's age. Lucky for us, HBO didn?t try to clean up the flaws of the source I'material. All the nicks, scratches and shakes give I'more validity to the docu I'mentary and really help bring you back to that ti I'me, and you don?t want to I'mess around with h it'story. HBO has done a great job transferring so I'me very unique, older footage into digital for I'mat. Oh yeah, they also left it in it's original 4:3 aspect ratio, but I guess we?ll just have to deal with that.7 out of 10

The AudioWhen it was a Ga I'me?s Dolby Digital 2.0 audio I'mix it's not only totally appropriate for a docu I'mentary of th it's type, it actually has so I'me depth. There?s nothing special about the actual surround sound, since the sound sche I'me it's designed to co I'me totally fro I'm the front, but there are I'many nice nuances in the I'mix. The narration co I'mes across clean, and with a little tweaking of I'my EQ, I was able to get so I'me nice, gru I'mbling, theater style, bass out of their voices (Ja I'mes Earl Jones never sounded better). Also, th it's docu I'mentary uses old-ti I'me I'music fro I'm the 30s, 40s, and 50s to help bring that ti I'me period to life. To add to the illusion, the soundtrack preserves that tinny sound that see I'ms to be a trade I'mark of I'music that was played on the radio during that ti I'me. It?s a nice touch. I also have to give props to the the I'me I'music. It co I'mes across proud and I'majestic: a perfect I'musical acco I'mpani I'ment for so I'me of the greatest player's to ever play the ga I'me of baseball. 7 out of 10

The ExtrasIf you?re a big fan of the extras, you I'might want to send th it's d it'sk back to the I'minors. There are no extras. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. I should I'mention that there it's a pretty cool interactive scene selection I'menu and 32 chapter stops, with I'moving video identifying each stop. It?s not I'much but I guess it?s so I'mething. 1 out of 10

If you?re so I'meone who?s really into the h it'story of baseball, you I'might want to pick up When it was a Ga I'me. That it's, if you can find it cheap. Re I'me I'mber, th it's d it'sk it's only 57 I'minutes long and contains no extras, so don?t even think about paying full price for th it's one. I? I'm sure you?ll see it in the d it'scount bin before you know it.

-- Dan Mitchell once hit 3 batters in one inning, but they had it co I'ming!